Insight of the effect of chitosan modification on the photocatalytic properties of metal-based and metal-free photocatalysts

Abstract

Chitosan is a polymeric material having properties such as adsorption and hydrophilicity. Chitosan itself is almost photocatalytically inactive, but it can couple with other photocatalysts to improve their photocatalytic activity. Chitosan significantly enhances photocatalysts' adsorption and lowers the charge carrier recombination, which ultimately aids in the enhanced photocatalytic activity. In this review, we have discussed chitosan's basic structural, electronic, and chemical properties. We have also explored the photocatalytic properties of chitosan and chitosan-based materials. Since metal-based and metal-free semiconductors are the two major classes of semiconductor photocatalysts, so we have described how chitosan can be used to enhance the limitations of metal-based and metal-free semiconductor photocatalysts. This review will help to develop a better understanding of chitosan and chitosan-based materials for photocatalysis. We have also explored the future aspects of chitosan-based photocatalytic materials to improve the research in the future.